A Blast from the Past
by Vikkixx
Summary: 'Dumbledore answered “Sirius will go to Azkaban, where he belongs.” Rebecca said nothing. She had always trusted Dumbledore. But now… for him to betray Sirius like this… she hated him.' Harry's godmother returns to Hogwarts (romance - Sirius & OC)
1. A Last Farewell

Chapter 1  
  
The two women enclosed one another in their arms and sobbed into each other's shoulders.  
  
"I'm going to miss you so much," Lily mumbled.  
  
"I'll miss you too." her friend replied. "But what's the alternative? It's the only way you'll be safe, you know that."  
  
"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier. And, you know, there's still a chance we might never come back."  
  
"Don't say that! Of course you will! Even Voldemort can't break that strong a charm. And you know Sirius would die rather than betray you."  
  
"I know, but I just."  
  
"No!" Rebecca said, "As soon as the danger's past, you and James and Harry will be back here, good as new."  
  
Lily smiled at her friend; she didn't know why she had such a bad feeling about this. Albus had said that the charm was foolproof, Sirius was more than trustworthy as their Secret Keeper, and nothing could go wrong. But somehow she couldn't feel safe. Perhaps it would be all right when she got to the house with James and Harry. They were her family. That was another thing. Her parents. They didn't know anything about this. They couldn't know anything about it; they were too much of a risk. She was so afraid. She wished James would hurry back. He and Sirius were coming together on Sirius' motorbike.  
  
Albus Dumbledore picked up the tiny bundle that was Harry Potter and handed him to his mother. Lily gathered the blankets around the child to keep out the chill wind.  
  
Rebecca leaned over to see the baby. She took a hold of his hand.  
  
"Take care of your mum and dad," she said with a watery smile.  
  
The two friends caught each other's eye and hugged again.  
  
"Don't worry," Lily said, "Everything will be fine."  
  
Rebecca nodded. She had to be strong. A noise from above told her that Sirius was coming. The motorbike landed somewhere nearby. James and Sirius appeared from behind her carrying the last few boxes of the Potter's possessions. They put the boxes on the ground with the others. James gave Lily a quick kiss on the cheek.  
  
"What took you so long?" Lily asked her husband.  
  
"We were saying goodbye to Remus," James answered. "He sends his love. He wanted to come and say goodbye to you, but ." James pointed upwards at the moon, now full.  
  
"Is everything ready?" Albus asked.  
  
"Yup," said Sirius, now standing at Rebacca's side, his arm around her waist.  
  
"Then perhaps the rest of us should say our goodbyes and get going," he suggested, his eyes twinkling more than usual, if Rebecca hadn't known it to be impossible, she would have thought there were tears in those bright blue eyes.  
  
"Yes," she said, "You can't waste time."  
  
Rebecca swallowed back tears and tried to smile. Sirius' grip tightened on her waist protectively.  
  
"What about Peter?"  
  
"I expect he'll be running late," Sirius answered. Rebecca couldn't be sure but, from his tone, she thought there was something that Sirius was keeping from her with regards to Peter. Dumbledore seemed to have noticed too as he shot an inquiring glance at James and Sirius. Rebecca was suddenly worried. She and Sirius never kept secrets from each other. She had never been in a relationship that had been so open and trusting. Had the situation been different she would have commented, but in the present circumstances she didn't feel that it would be appropriate.  
  
Dumbledore reached out to shake James' hand, and then kiss Lily on the cheek.  
  
"Good luck," he said, "And don't worry."  
  
Rebecca gave them each a hug and looked in at Harry.  
  
"Goodbye," she said, stepping back towards Dumbledore. "See you soon."  
  
Rebecca kissed Sirius quickly and without another word, she and Dumbledore disapparated.  
  
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling 


	2. Trust and Betrayal

Chapter 2  
  
"NO!!!" she exclaimed, "No, It's impossible! He wouldn't. couldn't. never. I won't believe it!"  
  
"You must believe it Rebecca, for it is true," rationalised Dumbledore, "I know that it is incredible, were it not for the evidence against him I would not believe it myself but an entire street full of muggles witnessed him doing it."  
  
"No," she said, "You know Sirius, he wouldn't do something like that. He loved Lily and James more than anyone in the world, he would never harm them."  
  
"I know, my dear, but you have to consider. We knew someone had to be passing information on to Voldemort and it makes sense, there is no other explanation."  
  
"There has to be," Rebecca said as she fell back onto her chair, "You know Sirius, you know how much he loves. loved them."  
  
"You don't seem to understand," Dumbledore said, taking her hand, "We have witnesses who saw him kill Pettigrew."  
  
"What about Pettigrew? It could have been him. You don't know for sure..."  
  
"Rebecca, calm down, you're upset, understandably. Peter Pettigrew a spy for Voldemort? It's impossible. The muggle witnesses say he cornered Sirius and . . ."  
  
"But it must have been a fake!" Rebecca stood up quickly, releasing her hands from Dumbledore's grasp. She was shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"Now, Rebecca," said Dumbledore, rising to his feet also. "Try to be rational. You have had a terrible shock. Try to put Sirius out of your mind and allow yourself to grieve for Lily and James."  
  
"That is exactly what I can't do," she said, "I have already lost two friends tonight, I am not going to let Voldemort take another from me."  
  
"Rebecca, please, Voldemort did not take Sirius. Sirius went of his own accord, probably a long time ago. He must have been spying for Voldemort for months."  
  
"But."  
  
"No Rebecca, you know I am right. How could Pettigrew have possibly given James and Lily to Voldemort? He couldn't have known where they were. Sirius was their Secret Keeper, you know that charm could not be broken."  
  
"Maybe they switched. Maybe Peter became their Secret Keeper instead of Sirius as a ruse! To fool Voldemort."  
  
"Rebecca, do you know what you're saying? Fool Lord Voldemort? Impossible!"  
  
"No, not impossible. A double bluff, it makes sense. Voldemort would have known that they would have used Sirius as Secret Keeper, He would never think they would use Pettigrew."  
  
Dumbledore laughed mirthlessly. "Come now Rebecca. How could Peter fake his own death? They found parts of him all over the street."  
  
"Maybe he disapparated. I don't know! He could have done it with Voldemort on his side."  
  
"Hush now Rebecca. You're just upset. I understand."  
  
"I am perfectly calm," she said, standing straight and tall as if to prove it, "I know Sirius would never do that, ever! He and James were like brothers."  
  
Rebecca swallowed back tears as she thought of James.  
  
"You never trusted Peter, I know you didn't," said Dumbledore, "But that's no reason to suspect him. He died a hero's death . . ."  
  
Rebecca laughed slightly hysterically. "A hero? Pettigrew?"  
  
"Now Rebecca, I know he may not have been particularly brave or clever, but he certainly redeemed himself in the end."  
  
"You don't get it do you?" she asked, frowning, "I loved Lily and James as much as anyone. More, even. Lily was my best friend. But now I've lost them both. I'm not going to believe that Sirius would have harmed them. I won't lose him too. "  
  
"Rebecca."  
  
"Listen to me. I know Sirius; I know that he wouldn't hurt anyone, especially not Lily and James. Has anyone heard his side of the story?"  
  
"The evidence against him was so strong that Barty Crouch - well you know how he feels about the Dark Arts."  
  
"He didn't even get a trial?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "You have to understand the kind of proof they had. I myself had to give evidence that he was the Potters' Secret Keeper."  
  
"You gave evidence?" Rebecca slumped in her chair. "He didn't even get to defend himself."  
  
Dumbledore avoided her gaze.  
  
"So what now? What happens now?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"To Sirius, to Harry."  
  
"Sirius will go to Azkaban, where he belongs." Rebecca said nothing. She had always trusted Dumbledore. Throughout school he had been a source of inspiration to her, and later he had been a friend. But now. for him to betray Sirius like this. she hated him.  
  
"And Harry?"  
  
"He will go to his aunt and uncle."  
  
"The muggles? I am his godmother: he should come to me."  
  
"I'm sorry Rebecca, but if Sirius is on the Dark Side, we have to. that is to say- we can't take any risks."  
  
"You think I.?" Rebecca's jaw fell open.  
  
"And from what you have told me tonight, I'm sorry Rebecca, we can't risk it."  
  
Rebecca stood up.  
  
"Thank you very much."  
  
She walked out the room without looking back.  
  
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling 


	3. Going Back

Chapter 3  
  
Rebecca had had no communication with the wizarding world since that day in Dumbledore's office.  
  
She left a letter for Harry to read when he was older; so he would understand why she had to go.  
  
She still thought about him, she collected cuttings from newspapers, everything ever printed about him. She had arranged for the Daily Prophet to be sent to her from London. She read about the Triwizard Tournament, the articles Rita Skeeter wrote about him. Compared to the enormous articles printed before and during the Tournament, the article about the outcome was suspiciously small. She had been worried that something had happened to Harry, but then she had received the letter.  
  
It had arrived the morning after the final task. It was very short, straight to the point.  
  
Dear Rebecca,  
  
I cannot say everything I would like to in a letter but I want to confess that I was entirely deceived as regards the matter which we discussed before you left. More importantly I must warn you that Lord Voldemort has returned to power. I would like to request that you return as soon as possible to England. Your help is much needed here, by one person in particular.  
  
Perhaps you have not heard about the escape from Azkaban of a high security prisoner: Sirius Black. It is partly because of this that I wish you to return. New information has come to light.  
  
Your Friend  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
She had, of course, heard that Sirius had escaped and it had been an idea that constantly plagued her. The pain of losing him, along with Lily and James, had been bad enough but this news of him brought him once again to the forefront of her mind. Tormented as she was she could do nothing. She had no means of contacting him, she had no idea where he was and had no-one back home who could help her. All she could do was wait. The only chance she had was that he, Sirius, might try to contact her. Rebecca read the letter five times but had already decided. She was going home.  
  
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling 


	4. Hope for the Future

Chapter 4  
  
"You what?" Sirius yelled.  
  
"I am terribly sorry Sirius, I thought I was doing it for the best."  
  
"It's bad enough that you believed that I. you had reason to think that. But you should have known, Rebecca would never go over to the Dark Side."  
  
"I never thought that," Dumbledore looked wearier than ever, "I just couldn't take a chance. There was every possibility that, if you were with Voldemort, she was too. You will never know how sorry I am."  
  
Sirius shook his head. He didn't really blame Dumbledore; he probably would have thought the same in his place, but this news was shocking to him.  
  
"Why did she leave though?"  
  
"She was upset. She refused to believe that you had betrayed Lily and James. She believed in you. And, of course, that strengthened the possibility ."  
  
"Wait." Sirius said. "You mean she trusted me? With all the evidence against me, with everyone saying that I. she still trusted me?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "She stood by you. She wouldn't accept what everyone else said. She even suspected Pettigrew. She had always known what he was. You can't imagine how much I wish I'd listened to her."  
  
Sirius was elated. "Have you heard from her?"  
  
"Not for thirteen years. We haven't spoken since I accused her." Dumbledore's usually cheerful face was full of guilt. "I wrote to her as soon as I found out where she was. She was remarkably difficult to find, she did all she could to hide from the world. I eventually discovered through some friends at the Daily Prophet that there was a long-distance delivery that went out every day but no-one knew where to. She must have done some incredibly strong spells to make her whereabouts unknown to even the staff there. I found a way to track the owl who took the paper. This, however, failed several times but eventually I found her. I wrote after the Tournament and she replied, said she would do whatever she could to help."  
  
"She is coming home?"  
  
"She is, she should arrive on Wednesday."  
  
Sirius grinned. He instantly forgave Dumbledore for not trusting her, it was probably safer for her to have been out of the country anyway, and in view of the recently imparted news all he could feel was gratitude in face of the idea that he would soon see Rebecca again. Even with the dark times that he was sure would be ahead, things had taken a definite turn for the better.  
  
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling 


	5. Back to School

Chapter 5  
  
It was like riding a bike. Magic was just one of those things you never forgot. She stood on the kerb and took a deep breath then held out her wand arm, with a loud bang the Knight Bus appeared in front of her. The door opened and a pimply young man stepped out wearing a purple conductor's uniform.  
  
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you wherever you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening."  
  
Rebecca smiled at the falsely professional manner Stan adopted.  
  
"May I take your trunk ma'am?"  
  
"Thank you," she said as the two of them began to heave her heavy trunk onto the bus.  
  
"How much is it to go to Hogwarts?"  
  
"Er. well, it'll be a bit more seein' as it's overseas from here."  
  
"That's fine. How much?"  
  
"Just make it a Galleon, but for two Sickles more you get 'ot chocolate, and for another two more you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush."  
  
Rebecca put a slender hand into her moneybag and handed Stan some gold and silver.  
  
"Fanks, ma'am." Stan led her to a bed near the front of the bus.  
  
"Just a couple o' stops first."  
  
Another bang and they were off. Rebecca had ridden on the Knight Bus enough times not to be upset by the sudden lurches and leaps it made and settled down to sleep, but try as she might, she could not manage to drift off. Thoughts of Sirius and Harry filled her head.  
  
After about half an hour Stan came over with her hot chocolate.  
  
"You from London?" Stan asked, curiously wondering at her bizarre accent.  
  
Rebecca shook her head. "Glasgow, but I've been living abroad for... some time."  
  
"Whatcha goin' to Hogwarts fer?"  
  
"I am going to speak with the Headmaster."  
  
"You with the Ministry?"  
  
"No."  
  
Stan was silent. Rebecca wondered why he wasn't up at the front with the driver. Why he was asking her so many questions.  
  
"Tell me," said Rebecca, trying to be polite, "Does Ernie Prang still work on this bus?"  
  
"Yep, how? Do you know Ern?"  
  
"I used to travel on the Knight Bus a lot, Ernie was a conductor back then."  
  
"Yeah? He's driving now."  
  
"He used to tell the funniest stories."  
  
"You wanna come up front and see 'im?"  
  
"I don't think that's such a good..."  
  
"Ern, lass here knows you," Stan interrupted, bellowing at the driver.  
  
Ernie took a double take, throwing the Knight Bus about half a mile in the wrong direction as he did so. Rebecca held onto her chair to keep from falling.  
  
"Rebecca Carus?" Ernie said, disbelieving. "Is it really you?"  
  
"It's nice to see you again Ernie."  
  
"Fourteen year." Ernie whistled through his teeth. "I remember like it was yesterday, you getting on this here bus for your first day o' Hogwarts." Enrie blinked stupidly and seemed to recall himself to the present moment. His countenance changed and he looked upon Rebecca with an aspect of decided mistrust.  
  
"So whatcha comin' back now fer? It's no a very good time to come back what with all the arguments wi' Dumbledore and the Ministry." His tone was less than friendly and he looked at her through narrowed eyes. There was no need to ask where Ernie's loyalties lay. He was devoted to the Ministry and would tell anyone who would listen how Cornelius Fudge himself had collected Harry Potter from the bus.  
  
"I'm here to help, Dumbledore wrote to me and asked me to come back."  
  
"Did 'ee now?" Ern looked her in the eye. "Is that really why you're back? It aint anything to do wi' that Sirius Black?"  
  
"Dumbledore wrote to me, that's the only reason I'm here." The Knight Bus lurched through mountains and woods and thudded to a halt at the gates of Hogwarts School. Rebecca felt the nerves of a first year as she left the bus and moved towards the gates.  
  
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling 


	6. A Warm Welcome

Chapter 6  
  
"Professor McGonagall," Rebecca said smiling grimly. "You haven't changed a bit," she thought but wisely did not voice her thoughts.  
  
Minerva gasped; there was something familiar in that voice. She recognised it and yet. something had changed about it. She couldn't quite place the change, but it was there.  
  
"Miss Carus," she said without turning around, "How do you do?"  
  
Rebecca noted the coldness in Professor McGonagall's voice, but it didn't bother her. Everyone probably thought, as had Dumbledore and Ernie Prang, that she had gone over to the Dark Side. She found that she didn't care what they thought. They would find out soon enough.  
  
"I am very well, thank you Professor. I would like to speak with the Headmaster, if that is at all possible."  
  
"Certainly, I am sure he will want to welcome you." She smiled nastily. "This way if you please."  
  
Rebecca followed her. It was odd, but - although she had been out of school for around eighteen years - Professor McGonagall could still make her feel like she was twelve years old.  
  
They reached the stone gargoyle, which Rebecca recognised as the one that hid the entrance to the Headmaster's office.  
  
"If you would wait here please. I will tell the Headmaster you are here."  
  
Rebecca nodded and smiled politely as Professor McGonagall said "Fizzing Whizzbee" to the Gargoyle, which opened and allowed her in.  
  
Rebecca waited for a very short time. Moments later the gargoyle opened again reveal Professor McGonagall once more.  
  
"I'm afraid he is not here right now. He had an urgent owl from the Ministry and had to dash off. He should not be long, perhaps you would like to wait in his office?"  
  
"Of course." Rebecca followed the teacher inside, up the familiar stairs and into the same office she had left all those years before.  
  
"I'm afraid I shall be unable to wait with you. I must speak to the house elves, they are preparing for the Start of Term Feast tomorrow and we have had a bit of a problem with the mince pies. If you will excuse me?"  
  
"Indeed," Rebecca said, smiling at the obvious excuse to be away, "Do not let me keep you."  
  
"Please, make yourself comfortable."  
  
Rebecca put all her heavy bags on the floor - she had left her trunk with Filch - and looked around the circular room. Apart from the addition of some new curiosities, it was pretty much the same as she remembered it.  
  
"Hello Fawkes," she said, approaching the phoenix's perch. "At least someone here is pleased to see me," she added as the bird closed his eyes and rubbed his head against her hand, releasing a long, soft note, comforting note from his open beak.  
  
Rebecca left the side of the phoenix and sat on an over-stuffed armchair at the wall, the bird followed her and took up a perch on her knee. She thought it odd that she got on so much better with animals than people.  
  
She was not left with her thoughts long. The door to the side of her opened to allow Albus Dumbledore to enter.  
  
"Go Fawkes," she whispered. The phoenix looked at her then returned to his perch, enabling her to rise to greet Dumbledore.  
  
"Rebecca," he sighed, "Thank you for coming so quickly."  
  
Rebecca said nothing; she simply nodded.  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"Please, Dumbledore, can we dispense with the small talk, and get to the reason I am here."  
  
Dumbledore looked slightly hurt at these words. Normally this would worry Rebecca, but she remembered how he had hurt her once, and could not feel sympathy for him.  
  
"Your letter, I didn't understand quite what you."  
  
"You were right, Rebecca, Sirius is innocent." Rebecca listened attentively as Dumbledore explained everything that had happened since Sirius had escaped. How he had broken into Hogwarts as an Animagus, how Pettigrew had hidden as a pet rat, how Pettigrew had been the traitor, how he had escaped, how Sirius had been captured and escaped again, how Harry had become a Hogwarts Champion in the Triwizard Tournament, how Sirius had come back to Britain to help, how Voldemort had come been reborn and Harry had beaten him.  
  
"Is Harry alright now?"  
  
"He is fine, living with his aunt and uncle, he is coming back to Hogwarts tomorrow."  
  
"He didn't get my letter did he?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "I am so terribly sorry, Rebecca, I thought it was best for him not to know."  
  
"No. Don't apologise, you were just doing what you thought was right."  
  
Dumbledore looked gratified at her dismissal of his behaviour to her.  
  
"I have not brought you here simply to apologise for mistrusting you. There is someone here who would like to see you. I think you know who."  
  
Rebecca took a deep breath and nodded. She couldn't speak and she couldn't understand why her heart was racing.  
  
"May I fetch him?" She nodded once more and Dumbledore left swiftly.  
  
She paced the floor nervously twisting a strand of hair. She felt like a child and was suddenly very conscious of her appearance.  
  
She swallowed deeply and took a deep breath. She didn't understand why she was getting so wound up over this. Yes she did. It was Sirius. It was always Sirius. She had loved him more than anything, more than life. He was everything to her. All these years she had been without him, she had felt an emptiness and an unspeakable sadness. Knowing what he was enduring and not being able to be with him. She would have gladly gone to Azkaban with him, for the simple reason that they would be together. That was all that mattered to her. That they were together. Together, she could endure anything.  
  
Rebecca spun round as she heard the door open behind her. Her eyes frantically searched the doorway for Sirius, but saw only Dumbledore. He smiled at her disappointed look and stepped to one side to reveal the one she sought. His eyes found hers immediately and all they could do was look at each other.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone." Neither of them had even noticed that Dumbledore was still in the room.  
  
Rebecca's heart was no longer pounding. She couldn't feel anything - all nervousness and teenage anxiety were washed away when she looked at him. All she could feel was pure and unadulterated happiness. A strange warmth seeped into her limbs, she hadn't realised that she was cold, but she had been for fifteen years. She did not want to break this spell, but she had to speak.  
  
"Sirius," her voice was choked with emotion. "You look like shit."  
  
He laughed hoarsely. "Thanks," he said, "You look... amazing."  
  
Rebecca chuckled gently. "What, couldn't think of an insult?"  
  
All he could do was look at her. Rebecca smiled slowly and walked towards him. He gulped deeply causing her to laugh quietly. Once she got near him she slowed and reached out a hand to touch his face. It was barely a glance of her fingertips against his jaw, but it sent involuntary tremors through his body. "Rebecca, don't..." She put a finger to his lips and whispered softly, "Shh, don't talk." She kissed him very gently and he shuddered. "I've missed you," she said softly. "I've missed you so much." Sirius moaned and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss. "I love you," he murmured. "I love you." Tears of salty water flowed down her cheeks. "I love you too."  
  
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Disclaimer: All belongs to J.K. Rowling 


	7. We Meet Again NOT FINISHED

Chapter 7  
  
"First Years this way!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the Entrance Hall. Harry looked around with satisfaction at the enormous hall and smiled cheerfully at Ron and Hermione. They made their way, along with the rest of the crowd of noisy pupils, towards the Great Hall which, as usual, looked magnificent. The staff table was an object of curiosity, eager faces peered towards it with excited expressions, each wondering who would be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.  
  
Since Harry had started at Hogwarts the Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers had become progressively more interesting. In First Year, Professor Quirrell, a stuttering young man who had turned out to be secretly working for Lord Voldemort; in Second Year, Professor Lockhart, a famous author who had turned out to have conned various witches and wizards and became famous by claiming to have done the heroic things which they had done; in Third Year, Harry's favourite Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, an old friend of Harry's parents whose secret was that he was a werewolf; the most recent was Mad-Eye Moody, a friend of Dumbledore's, or rather, Barty Crouch, a Death Eater using Polyjuice Potion to pretend to be Moody. None of these had lasted more than a year.  
  
Harry scanned the staff table, Hagrid was not there. Harry knew he had been away all summer doing some secret work for Dumbledore, but he had just assumed that Hagrid would be back at Hogwarts by the start of term. It then occurred to him that perhaps Hagrid was delayed bringing the first years up to the castle. Harry noticed another absence; Professor Snape was nowhere to be seen. He also noticed several empty chairs, including that of Dumbledore who was talking animatedly to Professor McGonagall and another person whom Harry could not see in the shadows but whose sharp eyes caught his looking and, after a quick glance, retreated further into the shadows and with a few words to Professor Dumbledore disappeared all-together.  
  
Harry did not have long to wonder at the appearance of this stranger (for stranger he presumed it to be) as Dumbledore took his place at the table and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on top of a stool in front of the first years. The first-years looked fearfully at the ragged hat as a tear near the brim opened and the hat began a new song of welcome. As it finished, receiving a general round of applause Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll of parchment and informed the first-years of what was to happen.  
  
"Anderson, Christopher!"  
  
A tiny boy walked forward and sat, with some difficulty, on the stool, which was a great deal too high for him, his legs dangled some way from the ground. He nervously placed the hat on his head, screwing his eyes closed and looking as though he would rather do anything than put the ancient hat on his head.  
  
"Hufflepuff!"  
  
Applause sounded from the Hufflepuff table, slightly less enthusiastic than usual, each member of that house remembering Cedric Diggory who should have been sitting with them.  
  
"Addams, Lisa!"  
  
A dark-haired girl made her way to the stool and no sooner had she placed the hat on her her head than it shouted -  
  
"Slytherin!"  
  
The applause from the Slytherin table was even less than that of the Hufflepuff table. Harry, for the first time since their arrival, looked round at their table to see greatly depleted numbers. He didn't need three guesses as to why and his face paled with anger and worry.  
  
"Burke, Amanda," was the first Gryffindor. Hermione, following Harry's contemtuous look, also saw the Slytherin table and all the empty spaces. She shook her head with mingled hatred and fear.  
  
"What a horrible lot," she said, nodding towards the Slythering table in reply to Ron's inquisitve glance.  
  
"I see Malfoy's here though, have to keep up appearances don't they?" he spoke with contempt but kept his voice quiet enough that he could be sure no-one would hear. Already everyone was afraid, nothing extraordinary had happened since before the summer but even those who took the side of the Ministry, claiming that Voldemort could not possibly have risen once again, were still fearful. If Albus Dumbledore believed it, there must be something to it, was the general concensus.  
  
The Sorting concluded with "Xenya, Alana," who was sorted into Ravenclaw. Professor Dumbledore rose and with a smile which did not reach his eyes, declared "Let us eat!"  
  
The empty dishes filled magically before them and they ate ravenously, unable to speak for some minutes as they sated the first of their hunger. Harry enjoyed that meal more than he had enjoyed anything in a long time. He had opportunity to catch up with his two best friends and to hear everything that had happened in the magical world from which he had been absent all summer.  
  
As Dumbledore once again rose from his seat, Harry perceived a new face, as yet unnoticed by the majority of assembled students. He wondered that he had not noticed her previously, seated nest to Professor McGonagall she watched politely as Dumbledore began his speech of welcome to the school. Compared with the majority of the teachers she was fairly young. Ebony black hair fell in elegant curls from beneath her hat, dark handsome eyes fixed attentively on Dumbledore as he addressed the school. That she was exceptionally pretty was beyond doubt, but Harry suspected he saw also something familiar in her face. He was certain he had seen her somewhere before, with a different expression than she now wore; smiling and cheerful rather than solemn and composed. Harry was called back from his thoughts as Dumbledore directed the attention of the entire school upon this new person by introducing her as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Carus.  
  
"...I hope you will make Professor Carus feel welcome and you may begin at once with a round of applause." Professor Carus smiled graciously as applause followed accordingly.  
  
"There are a few other start-of-term notices. Security on the school has been tightened. As of this evening, there will be guards on all the main entrances to the school, I also must impose slightly stricter regulations on you, as well as enforcing the existing rules. It is now more important than ever that pupils do not stray beyond Hogwarts grounds. The forest is strictly forbidden. No pupil may leave the grounds unsupervised at any time." Harry felt Dumbledore's gaze rest on himself, Ron and Hermione at this point. "I need not remind you of the necessity of protecting yourselves and the school but I ask you all to be very careful. Passwords to House Common Rooms will be changed more frequently, no admittance will be given without the password and I ask you all to be very careful not to impart these passwords to anyone outwith your house." At this point Neville's face glowed. "Understand that these rules are in place for your safety and abide by them as best you can. This said, I bid you all a good night." 


End file.
